Valencia’s Gardens of Turia

Jardines de Turia or the Gardens of Turia in Valencia is a must see when you visit the city.

The River Turia has its source in the Montes Universales in the Iberian System of mountain ranges in Spain and it ran right through the city of Valencia into the Med up until 1957 when there was a massive flood which destroyed much of Valencia. To prevent from future floods, the river was diverted around the city. The old course of the river has since dried up and its been turned into a recreational space for everyone to enjoy. (Source: Wikipedia)

The sunken park is around 9 km long and it’s possible to walk (if you’re so inclined) or cycle all of it.

In Valencia at the beginning of this year, I took a walk from my hotel to the City of Arts and Sciences to meet my friend and I decided to walk the 3 km along the dried river bed.

It may be a dried river bed, but it’s actually very beautiful with many species of flowers and trees, fountains and ponds, and attractive bridges which give easy access to the many parts of the city and the wonderful attractions on offer in Valencia.

As I walked along on that crisp January day with the perfectly blue sky above, there were lots of people around.

Some were cycling..

Many were walking, like me…

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There were others engaging in a spot of aerobics…

And some, sitting and watching the world go by…

It is such a lovely place to do all these things. It’s so close to the bustling city, but it’s so peaceful and relaxing. Mind you I went in January, so I can imagine there would be hundreds more people around in the high season.

Even so, when in Valencia, you should take a walk through the Gardens of Turia – you’ll be glad you did! 😉